GANGNEUNG, April 13 (Korea Bizwire) — Heading straight to the site of the disaster, some 20 government officials received a distress call indicating that a wildfire had broken out in the eastern coastal city of Gangneung and was being fanned by strong winds toward Gyeongpodae Pavilion, a state-designated cultural treasure.
The site of the fire was filled with smoke and wind, and the people there were barely capable of opening their eyes or standing still.
Staff at the Cultural Heritage Administration took down seven signboards and moved them to the nearest museum.
However, the fire, which was pushed by strong winds, approached within 100 meters of the pavilion, engulfing cherry trees and plants around the nearest pavilion.
Civil servants, including government employees, heritage guardians, security guards, and voluntary firefighters, used fireplugs and water pumps to extinguish the fire. Fire trucks soon arrived to limit the spread of the flames.
Gyeongpodae Pavilion, which is located on a lofty spot overlooking a scenic coastal lake, was cited as one of the eight scenic sites of the northeastern coast during the Joseon Dynasty.
Image Credit: Yonhap / photonews@koreabizwire.com
